Tune 1942] Agricultural Experlment Station 19 



funds to each city or town which has so appHed for State aid for each 

 dollar so set apart by them the following amounts :" "* 



Town Valuation State's share 



Less than $1,000,000 $2.00 (but not less than $1000) 



1,000,000-2,999,999 1.00 (but not less than $1000) 



3,000,000-9,999,999 .75 (but not less than $1000) 



10,000,000 and over .50 (but not less than SIOOO) 



The highway commissioner has discretionary authority to in- 

 crease the .State's share of this apportionment whenever in his opinion 

 it is advisable to do so and necessary funds are available. 



The same basis of construction aids, as outlined above, applied to 

 both projected State aid orange and projected State aid yellow roads. 

 SAO mileage within a town, however, must be completed before that 

 town can receive State aid for the construction of its Sx\Y mileage. 



Prior to 1941 towns have had the option of electing to receive 

 either State aid in construction of secondary roads or State aid for 

 Class V road construction (town road aid), but not both in the same 

 year. This option still is available to all towns having no orange 

 (SAO) road to build. However, in 1940 the legislature provided that 

 towns with less than live miles of projected SAO canriot receive TRA 

 until their total SAO mileage is completed. Towns having five miles 

 cr more SAO still to build are exempted from the above provision 

 and may receive TRA and State aid for construction, either or both, 

 in the same year.^^ 



PROBLEMS OF COMPLETING SAO MILEAGE 

 IN LOW VALUATION TOWNS 



Under the present arrangement a town with five iniles or less of 

 uncompleted SAO mileage not only loses its TRA during the 3^ear or 

 years it chooses to receive State aid construction to complete its SAO 

 miles ; but it also faces the prospect of losing its TRA during all of 

 the years it cannot aft'ord to elect State aid construction. In short, 

 towns whose road tax burdens are already so heavy that they cannot 

 raise their tax rate to secure the additional funds required to construct 

 their SAO mileage, Avill lose their TRA. Since these towns have, 

 in the past, been able to improve their roads only through the assist- 

 ance of TRA, this permanent withdrawal of TRA funds means that 

 their town roads must deteriorate. In the immediate future, therefore, 

 the completion of SAO presents an even more serious financial prob- 

 lem to low valuation towns with projected SAO than the regular con- 

 struction and maintenance of their town roads. 



In total figures the SAO mileage to be completed amounted to 

 205.27, as of January 1, 1941. This mileage is distributed in varying 

 amounts among 80 towns and cities. (See Appendix F for distribu- 

 tion according to towns' assessed valuations.) As mentioned before. 



i« p. L. Chap. 84, Sec. 21. 



19 Public Acts (1941) Ch. 5, Sec. 1. 



